Automatic check-row corn-planter and marker.



No. 820,305. PATENTED MAY 8, 1906. E. HBRMON.

AUTOMATIC CHECK ROW CORN PLANTER AND MARKER. APPLICATION FILED SEPTZ.1905.

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, PATENTED MAY 8, 1905.

E. HBRMON. AUTOMATIC CHECK ROW 001m PLANTER AND MARKER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2. 1905.

2 SHEETS-$11331 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMATIC CHECK-ROW CORN-PLANTER AND MARKER! Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented May 8, 1906;

Application filed September 2, 1905. Serial No. 276,889.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EZRA HERMON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Winterset, in the county of Madison and State of Iowa, haveinvented a new and useful Automatic Check-Row Corn-Planter and Marker,of which the following is a specification.

My object is to combine simple mechanism with the carriage of acorn-planter to automatically rock a shaft at regular intervals to dropseeds at equal distances apart, as required to produce check-rows; also,to combine markers; with the rotatable bearing-wheel axle to makeindentations in the surface of the ground in parallel lines with theline of advance, as required to serve as guides in making return tripsacross a field, and also to provide means for adjusting the axle andmarkers, as required to compensate for loss or gain of space between thepoints where seeds are dropped.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combinationof elements and subcombinations, as hereinafter set forth, pointed outin my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a top view of the planter and shows the positions of all theoperative parts relative to each other and the carriage-frame Fig. 2 isa sectional view on the line 90 as of Fig. 1 and shows the connectionbetween the rock-shaft mounted on the runner-frame and the mechanismconnected with the rotatable bearing-wheel axle. Fig. 3 shows a markeradjustably connected with the end of the rotatable axle, as required torevolve with the axle. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view that showshow a carriage-wheel, a ratchetwheel, a clutch and a marker are combinedwith the rotatable bearing-wheel axle. Fig. 5 is a detail View thatshows a ratchet-wheel fixed to the rotatable bearing-wheel axle andmeans for rotating the axle while the bearingwheels are advancing, asrequired to regain lost space between the points where seeds are.dropped. Fig. 6 shows the manner of fixing a ratchet-wheel to thespokes of a bearing-wheel, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged view that shows amodified form of marker and means for operating the clutches connectedwith the bearing-wheels.

The numeral 10 designates a rotatable bearing-axle, and 12 abearing-frame. Bearing-wheels 13 are loosely mounted on the axle 10, andclutch members 14 to the inside ends of their hubs are detachablyconnected with the wheels by means of a ratchet-Wheel 15, that isintegral with the hub of the bearing-wheel, and a spring-actuated pawl16, pivoted to a disk 17, that is fixed to the spokes of thebearing-wheel, as shown in Fig. 6. Mating clutch members 18 are slidablyconnected with the axle 10.

A rock-shaft 19 in bearings fixed to the frame 12 is connected with alever 20, pivoted to the upper end of a bearer 21, fixed on the frame 12by means of a rod 22. A stud 23 projects laterally from the lower end ofthe lever 20, and a duplex cam 24, fixed on the rotatable axle 10,engages the stud at every half-revolution of the axle, as required tovibrate the lever 20, and thereby impart motion to the rod 22, and henceto rock the shaft 19, as required for actuating seeddropping mechanismin the seedboxes 25.

A spring 26 is connected with the frame 12 and an arm 27, projectingfrom the rockshaft 19, in such a manner that it will normally retain thearm 27 elevated and return the lever to its normal perpendicularposition every time motion is imparted to the rock-shaft by the forwardmotion of the rod 22. i

To regain lost space by the slipping of the bearing-wheels on the groundor otherwise, a ratchet-wheel 28 is fixed to the axle 10, as shown inFig. 5, and an elbow-shaped lever 29 is fulcrumed to the axle in such amanner that by foot-pressure on the horizontal portion of the lever therotation of the axle will be stopped while the bearing-wheels rotate onthe axle and advance and the markers on the outer ends of the axle willbe retained stationary until the foot-pressure of the operator isrelaxed. A gravitating pawl 30 engages the ratchet-wheel 28 when thelever 29 is pressed, and a spring 31 normally retains the lever and pawlin an inoperative position, as required to allow the axle 10 to rotate.

A lever 32 is pivoted to a bearer 33, fixed between parallel parts ofthe frame 12, as shown in Fig. 7 and has a cross-head 34 at its top andfoot-rests 35 on its ends and is connected with the clutch members 18 bylevers 36in suchamanner that downward pressure by the operators foot atone end of the cross-head will disengage the sliding clutch members 18from the members 14, as required to allow the bearing-wheels to rotateon the axle 10 and the bearing to advance while the axle 10 does notrotate, as required to increase the space between the points where seedsare dropped whenever they are dropped too close together and out ofalinement with the cross-rows.

The markers 37 are adjustably and detachably connected with the ends ofthe axle 10, as shown in Figs. 8 and 7, in such a manner that when theaxle revolves the end of the markers will at each revolution of the axle10 enter the ground and make short furrows in the surface parallel withthe line of ad- Vance, so that the marks thus made will serve as a meansto direct the driver in making return trips across the field and asrequired to produce check-rows at uniform distances apart.

Having thus set forth the purpose of my invention and the constructionand function of each element and the arrangement and combination of allthe parts, the practical operation thereof will be obvious to personsfamiliar with the art to which it pertains.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a check-row corn-planter and marker, a rotatable bearing-axle,markers connected with the ends of the axles, bearing-wheels looselymounted on the axles, clutch members fixed to the hubs of thebearing-wheels, ratchet-wheels fixed to the bearing-wheels, pawlsconnected with the bearing-wheels to engage the ratchet-wheels, clutchmembers slidably connected with the axles and means for simultaneouslymoving the sliding clutch members in reverse ways, arranged and combinedin the manner set forth for the purposes stated.

2. A check-row corn-planter and marker comprising a rock-shaft having anarm, a bar pivoted at its top to a fixed bearer and provided with a studat its lower end to extend laterally, a rod connected with the lever andwith the arm of the rock-shaft and a duplex cam on a rotatablebearing-axle and means to prevent the axle from rotating while thecarriage is advancing, a rotatable bearingaxle, markers connected withthe ends of the bearing-axle, bearing-wheels loosely mounted on theaxle, clutch members fixed to the hubs of the bearing-wheels,ratchet-wheels fixed to the bearing-wheels, pawls connected with thebearing-wheels, clutch members slidingly connected with the axle andmeans for simultaneously moving the clutch members in reverse ways,arranged and combined as set forth.

EZRA HERMON.

Witnesses:

A. W. WILKINSON, G. W. POFFINBARGER.

